Unreserved Wine Talk

Food & Cooking Podcasts

The Unreserved Wine Talk podcast features candid conversations with the most fascinating people in the wine world. Your host, award-winning journalist Natalie MacLean, dives into how it feels to compete in the nerve-wracking World's Best Sommelier Competition, the shadowy underground of wine forgery, the zany tactics of a winemaker who hosted a funeral for cork, and more. Nestled in these colourful stories are practical tips on how to choose wine from a restaurant list, pair it with food and spot great values in the liquor store. Every second episode, Natalie goes solo with an unfiltered, personal reflection on wine. She'll share with you how it feels to be a woman in what is still a largely male-dominated field, her gut reaction to the latest health study that says no amount of alcohol consumption is safe and her journey in writing her next book. She'll reveal these vulnerable, sometimes embarrassing, stories with tipsy wit and wisdom that she's soaked up from 20 years of writing about wine. This podcast is for wine lovers from novices to well-cellared aficionados.

Play Button

Location:

United States

Description:

The Unreserved Wine Talk podcast features candid conversations with the most fascinating people in the wine world. Your host, award-winning journalist Natalie MacLean, dives into how it feels to compete in the nerve-wracking World's Best Sommelier Competition, the shadowy underground of wine forgery, the zany tactics of a winemaker who hosted a funeral for cork, and more. Nestled in these colourful stories are practical tips on how to choose wine from a restaurant list, pair it with food and spot great values in the liquor store. Every second episode, Natalie goes solo with an unfiltered, personal reflection on wine. She'll share with you how it feels to be a woman in what is still a largely male-dominated field, her gut reaction to the latest health study that says no amount of alcohol consumption is safe and her journey in writing her next book. She'll reveal these vulnerable, sometimes embarrassing, stories with tipsy wit and wisdom that she's soaked up from 20 years of writing about wine. This podcast is for wine lovers from novices to well-cellared aficionados.

Language:

English

Episodes

218: Music Changes Wine's Taste + Restaurant Table Shape & How Much We Eat with Nell McShane Wulfhart

2/1/2023
How does the shape of a restaurant table impact how much you eat? How can you use your music playlist to complement your menu? Which types of songs can make your wine taste more acidic? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with journalist Nell McShane Wulfhart. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of Nell McShane Wulfhart's terrific book, Off Menu. To qualify, all you have to...

Duration:00:47:55

217: Flavour versus Taste Plus Uruguay Wines with Nell McShane Wulfhart

1/25/2023
How does telling your dinner party guests a few details about the wine you're serving dramatically change their perception of its taste? Should you add wines from Uruguay to your must-taste list? What’s the difference between flavour and taste? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author and journalist Nell McShane Wulfhart. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of Nell...

Duration:00:43:04

216: Tradeoff Between Taste & Alcohol, Chardonnay, California Wine Values with Chuck Cramer

1/18/2023
What’s the tradeoff between flavour and alcohol? How does Chardonnay lend itself to unusual food pairings? Where do you find great value in California wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Chuck Cramer, host of On The Road With Mr CA Wine. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks Highlights Who were Chuck’s most memorable podcast guests and why? Who would be Chuck’s dream guests for his podcast? Why does...

Duration:00:30:39

215: California's Diverse Regions and Wines with Chuck Cramer, Host of On the Road with Mr CA Wine

1/11/2023
Are you curious about California wine, especially the differences between the various regions? What big trends have changed the California wines you drink for the past 5 years? What would surprise you most about the Napa wine region? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Chuck Cramer, host of On The Road With Mr CA Wine. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks Highlights What was it like for Chuck to do stand-up...

Duration:00:28:04

214: Tips to Moderate Your Wine Consumption with Consumed Podcast Host, Jaime Lewis

1/4/2023
How does deepening your understanding of wine help you maintain a healthy relationship with it? Why do memoirs help us to connect with characters even more deeply than fiction? Which moderation tools and techniques can you use when drinking wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm being interviewed by journalist Jaime Lewis for her podcast, CONSUMED. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks Highlights What does “day in...

Duration:00:39:42

213: Tasting Room Tips to Learn about Wine with Jaime Lewis, Host of the Consumed Podcast

12/28/2022
How can tasting rooms help you enjoyably expand your knowledge of wine? Which experiences led me to perfect the art of the outsider at a young age? Why does capturing our experiences in words have such a profound impact on us? What can you learn from side-by-side tastings? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm being interviewed by journalist Jaime Lewis for her podcast, CONSUMED. You can find the wines we discussed at...

Duration:00:37:28

212: Time Travel via Wine with Dani Shapiro, Bestselling Author of Signal Fires

12/21/2022
How do food and wine play a role in Dabi Shapiro's latest bestselling novel, Signal Fires? As a writer, what’s it like to encounter others experiencing your work? Why do certain wines seem to transport us back to a specific moment in time? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Dani Shapiro, bestselling author and host of the Family Secrets podcast. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks Giveaway Three of you...

Duration:00:39:36

211: Food, Wine and Family Secrets with Dani Shapiro, Bestselling Author of Signal Fires

12/14/2022
How can wine and food back memories of more than just the food and drink themselves? Why are so many family secrets associated with food and drink? How has the publishing world changed, and what does it mean for up-and-coming writers? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Dani Shapiro, bestselling author and host of the Family Secrets podcast. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks Giveaway Three of you in...

Duration:00:48:08

210: Why Pay More for Wine, British Bubbly and Glassware with The Wine Bible's Karen MacNeil

12/7/2022
Which new and emerging wine regions should be on your radar to try soon? Why should you pay more for wine? How does glassware change the taste of your wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks Giveaway Three of you who are based in the U.S. are going to win a personally signed copy of Karen MacNeil's terrific new book, The Wine...

Duration:00:45:57

209: Creating The Wine Bible: Behind-the-Scenes with Author Karen MacNeil

11/30/2022
What did it take to create The Wine Bible, a 700-page masterwork on wine? What makes The Wine Bible so different from other popular wine tomes? How did the pandemic make it much harder to research and write this latest edition of this book and what creative methods did the author use to overcome those obstacles? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible. You can find the wines we discussed at...

Duration:00:45:12

208: Digital Corks, Tasting Tokens and the Future of Wine Drinking with David Garrett

11/23/2022
How do digital corks allow winemakers to participate in the resale of their wines among collectors? What are tasting tokens, and what exciting new experiences do they offer both winemakers and consumers? What new trends and technologies will impact the wines you drink in the future? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm interviewing David Garrett, the co-founder of a global non-fungible token (NFT) wine club, Club dVIN. You can find the wines we discussed at...

Duration:00:38:23

207: How Blockchain and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) Will Change How You Buy Wine with David Garrett

11/16/2022
Are you curious about how blockchain technology will transform how you buy and collect wine? How do non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, play a role? How can blockchain technology help to prevent counterfeit wines? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm interviewing David Garrett, the co-founder of a global non-fungible token (NFT) wine club, Club dVIN. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks Highlights Why did David make the move...

Duration:00:38:02

206: Minerality in Wine, Great Hybrid Grapes & What Jimi Hendrix Can Teach Winemakers with Aleks Zecevic

11/9/2022
Is minerality a flavour or a texture? What does it feel or taste like? Why do wines made from hybrid grapes deserve your attention? What can winemakers learn from Jimi Hendrix? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm interviewing Aleks Zecevic, wine writer and host of the Vintners podcast. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks Highlights How does Ewald Tscheppe of Werlitsch get a unique texture to his wines? How did...

Duration:00:39:18

205: Wine Spectator and Sotheby's Auction House Dream Jobs with Aleks Zecevic

11/2/2022
What's it like to work at the prestigious Wine Spectator magazine and Sotheby’s fine wine auction house? How can you distinguish real wine from fakes? What’s the secret to putting together the perfect wine flight? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm interviewing Aleks Zecevic, wine writer and host of the Vintners podcast. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks Highlights What is Vouvray, France, famous for in the world...

Duration:00:47:35

204: Canadian Wines, Grapes & Styles with Drink Adventures' James Atkinson

10/26/2022
Is Icewine the major part of Canada’s wine industry? How does Icewine compare to other dessert wines like Sauternes? How has climate change impacted Canadian winemaking? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm being interviewed by James Atkinson, drinks journalist and host of the Drinks Adventures podcast. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks Highlights Is Icewine still a major part of Canada’s wine industry? What makes...

Duration:00:26:04

203: Wine & Global Weirding, Canadian Wine and New Regions with Brian Freedman

10/19/2022
As a wine lover, what can you do to help mitigate the impact of climate change? Why do many experts consider the phrase “global warming” a big marketing mistake? How is climate change pushing the boundaries of where great wine comes from? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm interviewing Brian Freedman, wine and spirits educator and author of Crushed: How a Changing Climate Is Altering the Way We Drink. You can find the wines we discussed at...

Duration:00:42:59

202: "Crushed: How a Changing Climate Is Altering the Way We Drink" with Brian Freedman

10/12/2022
Are you curious about the deeper, less obvious impacts of climate change on wine? How is it different from the impact on our food? What are Israeli winemakers doing to bring back a whole ecosystem approach? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm interviewing Brian Freedman, wine and spirits educator and author of Crushed: How a Changing Climate Is Altering the Way We Drink. You can find the wines we discussed at...

Duration:00:42:29

201: Riesling, the Four-Octave Diva + Austrian Wine Revival with Valerie Kathawala

10/5/2022
Why should we change the way we talk about Riesling? How have Austrian and German wines transformed in recent years? How can you pair German-speaking wines with food? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm interviewing journalist and co-founder of TRINK magazine, Valerie Kathawala. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks Highlights How is Skinny Pablo recontextualizing Riesling for younger generations? What happened in...

Duration:00:39:36

200: German-Speaking Wines and Biodynamic Winemaking with Valerie Kathawala

9/28/2022
Are you curious about German-speaking wines and which ones you should try? Why is biodynamic winemaking particularly important for viticulture? What’s the real difference between natural wine and biodynamic wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm interviewing journalist and co-founder of TRINK magazine, Valerie Kathawala. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks Highlights What was it like to be a German translator at...

Duration:00:41:45

199: Wine Temperatures and Tasting Tricks with Wines to Find Sandy Dawkins and Michelle Lester

9/21/2022
Are you drinking your wine at the wrong temperature? Which wine gadgets will help you explore new wines without overindulging? Why should you breathe out through your nose after sipping wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm interviewing by Sandy Dawkins and Michelle Lester, hosts of the Wines To Find podcast. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks Highlights Which dishes do Sandy and Michelle love to cook and which...

Duration:00:37:15

See More